The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
A Flawed Formula for Peace in Ukraine
English Summary
The article argues that the stalled peace negotiations in Ukraine are not due to external geopolitical distractions, but rather a fundamental flaw in the U.S.-designed peace framework. This flawed structure centers on a core bargain requiring Ukraine to cede significant territory, specifically nearly 20% of the Donbas/Kyiv-controlled areas, to Russia in exchange for peace. The reliance on such massive territorial concessions makes the proposed formula inherently unsustainable and politically unviable. Policymakers must recognize that any peace strategy built upon these concessions is fundamentally flawed and requires a complete diplomatic overhaul.
中文摘要
本文主張，烏克蘭停滯的和平談判並非源於外部地緣政治的干擾，而是美國設計的和平框架本身存在根本性缺陷。該有缺陷的結構核心要求烏克蘭割讓大量領土，特別是近20%的頓巴斯/基輔控制區域，作為換取和平的條件。這種依賴大規模領土讓步的模式，使其提出的方案本質上是不可持續且政治上不可行的。政策制定者必須認識到，任何建立在這些讓步基礎上的和平策略都是根本性有缺陷的，需要進行一次全面的外交修訂。
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